Things Change
by beyondthecrystalsea
Summary: Its been a while since Sakura spent any time with Kiba. On a mission together, she comes to admire the man he has become. This leads to him asking her out on a very special date. This is the story of that date. Sequal to things aren't always what they see
1. Chapter 1

This is the long awaited (At least I hope so) sequel to "Things aren't always what they seem". The first story was written for a challenge that included Sakura and Kiba. You can probably read this story on its own, but the first one explains why they are going to the ballet and why it's this particular ballet.

I've kind of fallen in love with this pairing- I hope you do to.

oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo

Kiba walked down the street of the unfamiliar city, his long legs incased in the light wool of his gray suit. The breeze played with his tie as he hurried toward the hotel to meet his date. He crossed the lobby and walked up the two flights of steps to knock on Sakura's door. He heard the rustle of fabric before the knob turned and the vision of an angel met his eyes. Sakura greeted him with a smile on her face and an air of excitement. She was wearing an emerald green evening gown cut low in the front with beaded straps across her shoulders. The green satin dress caressed her curves and made her large eyes sparkle. Kiba's breath caught in his throat and he couldn't say a word as he stared at the girl.

"Kiba, come in." she greeted him.

The man seemed to regain his breath as he walked into the room.

"Wow" was all he could say as he gazed at his companion.

"Do I look Ok?" she asked uncertainly. "I wasn't sure what to wear."

"My god you're beautiful." he assured her in a deep whisper. Sakura smiled at his reaction. She had saved forever to afford this dress and from his reaction, it was worth it.

"You look pretty good too." "I didn't even know you owned a suit." She teased him a twinkle in her emerald eyes.

"Actually I don't." he said in a self depreciating manner. "Shino's dad and I wear the same size."

"Well you look very handsome." she assured him, fluttering her long eye lashes at him flirtatiously.

He really did. The charcoal grey suit could have been made just for him. The lapels accentuated his broad shoulders, and the pants showed his long legs off perfectly. He wore a white shirt and a silk tie with burgundy flecks in the pattern. He had tamed his hair and over all he looked good enough to eat in Sakura's opinion.

"I don't know about that," he grinned back "but you look good enough for the both of us." He complimented her. He saw her shawl lying on the couch. He walked over to retrieve it for her.

"Are you ready to go?"

She nodded and he placed the shawl softly against her shoulders. Kiba opened the door for her while she grabbed her matching handbag. Once the door was securely locked, he offered her his arm for the walk out of the hotel. The bell sounded as the doors of the elevator opened into the lobby. Heads turned as the stunning pink haired kunoichi exited the conveyance and was escorted toward the doors. Kiba noticed the jealous looks he was getting from the other men in the room. He glanced fondly at the carefree beauty beside him. That was part of her charm. She had no idea how bewitching she really was. It would be his pleasure to let her know what a treasure she was.

"How did I get so damned lucky?" he thought.

**A few days earlier,**

Kiba pushed himself to get back to the village as soon as possible. He had been sent on another mission and as much as he loved his job, he was about at the end of his rope. Every damn time he tried to ask Sakura out she was either in a meeting or working. According to Naruto, she'd been working almost two weeks straight without a day off. It didn't help that he'd been gone on missions too.

He passed Izumo and Kotetsu at the gate. He acknowledged them with a wave, but kept going toward his apartment eager to find a shower. Most of their rescue work had been done in the poorest most rural parts of River Country. No fancy accommodations, just a tent and a campfire. He was a mess and he stank. He hadn't smelled this bad since he and Naruto had pranked Iruka sensei and had to clean the sewers as punishment back when he was a Genin.

He unlocked his apartment. "Looks like Mom or Hana has been here." he told Akamaru. He saw dog food and fresh water in the dog bowls. He opened the fridge and found that someone had bought the basics; milk, bread, and eggs. I must have been Hana, because he saw a beer tucked behind the milk. He grinned tiredly. It probably meant that she wanted some help at the clinic. He could tell when his sister was trying to butter him up.

"Come on Buddy," he told Akamaru. He started the water in the tub for his canine friend.

"If you're sleeping with me tonight, you need a bath," The dog climbed into the tub. The thought of bed was welcome. It had been a long two weeks.

'If you're sleeping with _me_ tonight, you need a bath too!' smirked the white dog. He used his bushy tail to flip hot soapy water down the front of his master's shirt.

"Akamaru," the man gritted his teeth and shrugged out of his shirt. Unlike some dogs Akamaru loved a bath. He loved the feel of Kiba's fingers massaging his coat as he was lathered up. He stood still as he was rinsed off. Afterwards, Kiba opened the door to the back patio so the dog could shake. He then wrapped the dog in big towels. The white dog lay in the sunshine to dry while his master showered.

Kiba let out a sigh of satisfaction as he stepped into the shower. He let the hot water run down his back loosening his tense muscles. The soap ran down his firm pectorals, past his hard abs, to tanned calves washing away the aches and pains. The hot water was starting to cool by the time he was done. He felt like he might have enough energy to make it to the Missions' room to turn in his report. There was no getting out of it, Kotetsu and Izumo had seen him enter the village. He put on his black jeans and a cotton sweater. Until he did laundry he didn't even have a spare uniform that was clean. Maybe he would run into Sakura while he was out

Between her work at the hospital and Kiba's missions, their chances to see each other had been almost nil. Kiba had announced his interest in her by obtaining tickets to take her to the ballet. She had seemed thrilled by the attention. However just days after giving her the gift Kiba had been called back to River Country. Torrential rains had aggravated the rescue attempts of the country's shin obi, who were still recovering from an earthquake.

"You ready Akamaru?" he called. When he got no response he walked into the living room to find the big dog fast asleep. He was lying in a pool of sunshine and would occasionally kick his legs and whimper like he was chasing a squirrel. The poor guy was bushed.

Kiba grabbed his report and headed out the door. As he walked down the street he thought about the beautiful medic from team 7. He hadn't thought he'd stood a chance with her until their last mission together. She had been relaxed around him, open and easy to talk to.

She'd been cute as a teenager and Kiba, like most of the boys in town had been attracted to her. But since she had become a medic, she had become a self assured radiant woman. It helped that she'd stopped trying to be a carbon copy of Ino and developed her own style. These thoughts breezed through Kiba's mind as he thought of the lovely girl he was hoping to see. She wasn't brash like Ino, or shy like Hinata, not loud like Temari or fierce like Tenten. She was just herself and she was just perfect. Kiba blushed at his thoughts. When had he become such a sap?

He opened the doors to the Hokage tower and started up the steps to the missions' room. Iruka sensei was working.

"Hi Kiba." he greeted the boy. "Thanks for your hard work." Kiba handed his old sensei his mission report.

"Have you happened to see Sakura today, Iruka sensei?"

"No" the man replied. "She hasn't been on any missions lately so I don't expect her in." "You might try the hospital."

"Ok, thanks." Kiba passed Kakashi as he walked toward the door.

"Hey Kakashi, have you seen Sakura today?" asked the young Inuzuka.

"No" mumbled the older man. "Seems like she was doing something girly with Ino though."

"I may have seen a pink head near the flower shop."

"Thanks" Kiba called on his way out the door.

Kiba's need for sleep over rode his desire for Sakura. He'd just have to hunt her down at the hospital tomorrow. Right now all he wanted was dinner and his bed. He stopped and ordered food, then ran to the market as he waited for his order. Fifteen minutes later he returned from the market dead tired. He had to admit his last reserve was used up.

Walking toward the counter, he actually saw Tenten's top knots first, then Sakura's pink hair and Hinata's black bob. He smiled at his luck, just when he gave up he found his prize.

"Yo, ladies." They had looked up to see a very tired rescue Nin.

"Hey Kiba," said Hinata giving him a quick hug. "Where's Akamaru?" she said looking around puzzled.

"Oh, he's at home. We're dead tired, Hina. I don't even want to think about how many metric tons of dirt we've searched the last two weeks." The dark haired girl patted his leg in sympathy.

He turned to Sakura. "How have you been?" he gave her a weary smile.

"We've been busy at the hospital. A lot of refugees have been coming from River to get medical attention." she smiled at the man. She had to admit that he was adorable even when he was tired. Her fingers itched to tuck his shaggy hair behind his ears and smooth the lines on his forehead.

"It's kept us busy hasn't it?" she said to Ino and Hinata. The Hyuga girl had been put to work full time at the hospital until the crisis was over.

"Are you busy tomorrow night?" One of the things she admired about Kiba was his inability to beat around the bush. "I'd like to take you to dinner."

"I'm on the day shift tomorrow, so yea, I'd like that." she smiled. He gave her a wolfish grin back.

"Can I pick you up at seven? We can decide where we want to go then. Alright?" he asked. A yawn caught him by surprise. An assortment of smiles and grins met him from the girls at the table.

"You need to get some rest." Sakura admonished him. "You do that tomorrow and I'll take it personally." she gave him a mock frown.

"Never, I promise." He grinned again and gave a tired wave to the ladies as he left them to collect his food.

When he returned home Akumaru was gone and so was his sunny spot. The weary man gulped down his dinner and headed for bed. His big white buddy was already there. Kiba didn't even care. He stripped down to his boxers and climbed between the sheets. It felt so good to finally have a mattress. He sighed deeply in contentment. Before he could register the softness of his pillow he was already asleep.

**In the city of Fukui**,

Kiba escorted his lovely date out the door into the historic city of Fukui. The streets were bustling with coaches and rickshaws. He flagged one down and turned to Sakura, drawing her attention back to him.

"This way hime." He handed her into the rickshaw, carefully moving her dress before seating himself. He gave the driver the name of their restaurant and the man moved into the crowded street.

"I really do feel like a princess tonight." sighed Sakura in delight.

"Good" her date replied, a satisfied look on his face.

The trip to the restaurant led them past an avenue of cherry trees, the sakura blossoms were in bloom and as pink as the hair of the beauty beside him. They passed the ancient castle of Maruoka-jo. It was lit up in the twilight.

"It looks like a fairy castle doesn't it?" exclaimed Sakura.

He could see that she was enjoying all the sights of the city. He saw that their driver was taking them the long way to their destination, but frankly he didn't care. He was too busy watching the kunoichi beside him. Her eyes were sparkling with interest and her face glowed with excitement.

Kiba was not an eloquent man and not much given to fanciful ideas, but he couldn't shake the notion that tonight he was indeed in the presence of a lovely fairy princess, a beauty full of light and joy. He couldn't take his eyes off her. Without conscious thought he found his hand holding hers. He rubbed his callused thumb across the satin smooth skin of her knuckles. This same hand could burst through solid rock or bring a new born babe into the world. She was a mixture of hard and soft and tonight she was all his.

"How did I get so damned lucky?" he thought.

**A few days earlier,**

Kiba knocked on Sakura's door at seven on the dot. A smile lit his face as the door opened …to Naruto.

"Hey Kiba come on in." the blonde exclaimed as the dog nin eyed him with a puzzled expression. "Sakura's almost ready. I kind of made her late." he said with a wry grin. Kiba could see white bandages stick out under his shirt.

"What the hell happened to you?" he asked his friend.

"Oh that stupid teme got a lucky shot in. It's nothing."

"Naruto, you have two broken ribs." said Sakura walking into the room. "It's hardly nothing. I want you to be careful at least until tomorrow."

"Ok Sakura chan" replied the blonde sitting gingerly onto a straight backed chair,

Sakura eyed her date for the evening. He looked one hundred percent better than he had the night before. He was dressed in dark jeans, white shirt and his leather jacket. Sakura had to admit, the man looked yummy in leather. His brown hair was in its usual spikes which she found oddly comforting since last night his hair had even lain down in weariness.

She was glad she had made the effort to dress up. She was wearing black pants with a cherry red sweater and shell. The day had been just a little chilly; beside this was her favorite sweater. Good things seemed to happen when she wore it.

"So what seems good for dinner?" Kiba asked. Naruto laughed at them as they tried to decide where to go. Every place seemed to have something wrong with it, too dark, too crowded, not enough vegetables.

"We're definitely not going to Itchiraku's" they both agreed.

"Ha! You're laughing at us, but what are you having for dinner?" Kiba taunted his friend.

"Oh, I'll probably have a cup of ramen and head to bed early." He said with a false smile.

"Why don't you call Sasuke?" Sakura suggested. She knew Hinata was in a clan meeting.

"After that teme broke my ribs? No way! I'm still pi…upset with him." He amended quickly.

Kiba watched Sakura's face. He knew they were as close as brother and sister. He could also see that she was worried about him.

"Why don't you come with us." he offered. Sakura gave him a grateful look as she turned to her almost brother.

"Yes, come with us. You know every restaurant in town." she cajoled the blonde.

"I don't want to crash your date." Naruto replied but both friends could see he was tempted.

"Well technically we invited you so it's not crashing." the brown haired man replied.

"Come on" Sakura smiled. "You know you want to."

"Well" the blonde Nin thought for a minute. "There is that new place by the academy. Iruka says its good and Choji says that they have great BBQ."

"Oh yea, I'd forgotten that place." agreed Kiba.

That was how Sakura found herself with a man on each arm, walking her toward the academy. The men joked with each other, catching up on news since Kiba had been out of town for two weeks. At the restaurant, Naruto had almost sat beside Sakura out of habit, but caught himself at the last minute with a muffled "sorry" to Kiba. The rescue Nin just laughed and seated himself beside his date.

Sakura found herself thinking about how much she really enjoyed their company. Unlike many of the men she worked with, i.e. Shikamaru, Neji, Sasuke. Kiba actually talked. It was interesting to hear him and Naruto talk about the mission to River Country. She could almost see the places he had been and she could hear his concern for the victims in his voice.

Naruto's suggestion of pork BBQ was brilliant. The food was good and the company was even better. Kiba got Sakura to talk about her training with Tsunade. He found out from Naruto that she worked over time at the hospital almost every day. Both men took her to task for pushing herself too hard.

"That's what I do. I like working at the hospital and helping people." She defended herself. Deep inside though, she was secretly glad that someone cared enough about her to worry over her.

Kiba snickered to himself as he watched Sakura mother over Naruto like a hen with one chick. It really was funny to see one of the most powerful Nins in the village told to eat his vegetables …and do it.

Before they parted for the evening, Sakura checked Naruto's ribs one last time. She eased his pain enough for him to go home and get to bed. He gave her a brotherly bear hug, before clapping Kiba on the back and waving good bye.

**In the city of Fukui,**

Sakura felt the man beside her take her hand. It was warm and solid. When he brushed his calloused thumb across it, goose bumps broke out across her arms. It felt good to be the object of his attentions. He had let her know in every way that he only had eyes for her tonight. It was a heady experience and she planned to enjoy every minute of it.

She leaned against his side taking comfort in his solid presence beside her. He smelled good too, a mixture of pine and soap and his aftershave. She could smell a hint of Akamaru too, which should have been unpleasant but surprisingly wasn't.

They pulled in front of the restaurant and Kiba turned to help her down from the cart. Fukui was a sea side city and the restaurant specialized in seafood dishes. Kiba gave the hostess his name and they were shown to their table. Sakura was impressed with the grandeur of the establishment. There were fresh flowers and candles scattered on the tables. Elegant arches divided the rooms and the chair that Kiba held out for her was padded in velvet. The hostess handed them menus and left them.

"Kiba" Sakura said softly to get his attention. The brown haired man turned to her.

"This has got to be expensive. Are you sure you want to eat here?" she asked in concern. When he had asked her to the ballet it had not been her intention to beggar the poor man.

He gave her the charming smile that she loved so much.

"I just spent a month in River Country in a tent." He smiled at the girl. "I got plenty of hazard pay and I intend to spend it and enjoy myself." He took in her serious expression.

"Really Sakura, this restaurant was recommended to me. So, unless you don't like seafood, I really want to try it. Besides" he added with a grin, "Looking like that I can't really take you to Ichiraku can I? I'd have to beat back the locals with a stick."

Catching his humor she grinned back. "There's no way I'm eating ramen in this dress."

"Exactly" he replied. "You're with me, not Naruto." They both laughed at his joke and turned back to their menus.

When their dinners came they were beautifully arranged and garnished. Sakura's radishes had been cut into flower shapes. She almost hated to eat them. Her date on the other hand had no problem. He attacked his meal with true appreciation.

"How was Akamaru before you left?" asked the girl. Although she knew they couldn't bring him to the ballet, she felt bad about bringing him so far and having him miss out on all the fun.

"He likes coming to the Tanaka's. They still have a couple of his litter mates, so he was pretty happy to be here." "He told me that he doesn't see what the big deal is. He'd rather stay home and play anyway."

Sakura laughed at the canine's comment. She was starting to think that her date felt the same way. He had been a perfect gentleman the whole trip and had not complained once about the preparations for this evening, but she felt that he would rather have done something more laid back. She thought it was sweet of him. She had never had a date go to so much trouble to make sure she had a good time.

"How did I get so damn lucky?" she thought.

**A few days earlier,**

By mutual consent they began to walk toward the grassy area by the practice fields. Kiba took her hand to find it ice cold. He drew her close and tucked her hands under the sleeve of his coat. The grounds were deserted. Kiba found a bench overlooking a wooded area.

"I wanted to talk to you about our trip to the ballet." he said seriously looking down upon the pink hair beside him. "We only have two weeks before the performance. Are you still able to go?" he asked.

"Yes" she said shyly. "I cleared it with Shishou so there shouldn't be any trouble."

"Good" he said in relief. "You know the performance doesn't start until eight. That's going to be really late when we get out. I think we should spend the night. They have a nice hot springs and hotel there."

Sakura didn't hear another thing he said. 'Spend the night' and 'hotel' had told her all she needed to know. She was disappointed. It wasn't the first time someone had expected her to sleep with them. Something about the word 'kunoichi' seemed to suggest that she had no morals and would sleep with anyone. It's just that she had thought Kiba was different. That he cared about her more than just a quick one night stand. She pushed away her disappointment in the face of her anger.

There was no way that the price of a ticket included sex. She would only give herself when _she_ felt it was right and it wouldn't be for a bribe either. 'That idiot' she fumed. She opened her mouth to give him a piece of her mind, when her brain began to kick in.

"What?" she interrupted him? "Say that last part again?"

Kiba gave her a strange look and repeated; "The Tanaka's are good friends they won't mind my crashing there, and they can watch Akamaru for me."

"Who are the Tanaka's again?" Sakura began to think she'd missed most of the conversation.

Rolling his eyes the dog nin repeated, "They're long time friends of my parents who also train dogs. We work with them a lot. I know they won't mind if I stay with them. Akamaru's dame was one of their dogs."

"So you'll stay with them and I'll stay at the hotel?"

"Didn't I just say that?" the man asked. He saw her blush and teased her. "What?" "Did you think you were going to have your wicked way with me Sakura?" his voice lowered and he scooted toward her on the bench. She scooted back from him.

"What kind of boy do you think I am?" he mocked in a low tone. He leaned toward her; she could smell his aftershave and feel the warmth of his breath on her cheek. She ran her eyes over his broad shoulders and his strong arms. She felt herself being tempted and she scooted back once again in self defense. Only there was no more bench. She felt herself falling backwards before two strong arms reached out and grabbed her setting her back onto the bench.

Kiba broke into wild laughter. He threw an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. "Don't worry Sakura; I'm just messing with you. Besides, Naruto would beat me to a pulp no matter how many broken bones he had." His laughter dispelled the awkwardness and made his date smile too. Kiba gave her shoulders another squeeze before continuing.

"I thought if we took the early buss to Fukui we would have time to use the hot springs before dinner that night. Then since it will be late when we get done at the ballet, we can take the bus back the next morning. Does that sound Ok?

"Sure" answered the girl. He had obviously put a lot of thought into their trip. She looked at him fondly. Maybe he was looking forward to this as much as she was. She gave him a dazzling smile.

**In the city of Fukui,**

The food was absolutely wonderful. Kiba had ordered shark. Sakura had tried a bite and had to admit it was nicely done. However she had ordered a seafood pasta dish that she adored. She had never had anything quite like it but it was instantly her favorite. They were served fruity sake along with their meal. Just when she thought their meal was about perfect, they were approached by a man in a white samue. Looking at his uniform, Sakura surmised that this was their chef for the evening. She noticed the circular tattoos on his cheeks and realized that he must be an Akimichi.

"Kiba how was your meal this evening?" the man greeted her date.

"It was excellent Cho." He replied. "This is my date Haruno Sakura." "Sakura, this is Chouji's cousin, Cho."

She gave the man a dazzling smile. "I thought you might be." "Dinner was fabulous." She assured the chef. "I've gone to some nice dinners with Hokage Sama, but none have been as delicious as this."

The portly chef chuckled in appreciation. "My dear, I cannot resist a beautiful woman who enjoys my cooking. Let me send you out a little something from the kitchen to complete your meal." He kissed her hand gallantly before turning to Kiba.

"You'll have to watch this young lady or someone will steal her away." he chuckled. The older man patted the Inuzuka on the back. "Thanks for coming. Tell Chouji hello for me."

"I will." The Nin replied. He took Sakura's hand. "I fully intend to keep both eyes on her tonight." The chef beamed at the couple before leaving their table. A few minutes later their hostess brought out two desserts.

"The Chef has sent out a couple things for you to try. This is a plum and almond tart with a light almond glaze." She set the sweet before Kiba. "And this is a chocolate truffle with fudge sauce." She set a small decorative cup before Sakura.

They tried the tart first. It was deliciously fruity, but Sakura was in awe of the chocolate truffle. It was so rich there was no wonder it was served in a small dish. Sakura felt her toes curl at the first bite. It was so wickedly decadent she couldn't believe it looked so innocent. Kiba laughed at her expression as if he knew the phrase 'better than sex' was on the tip of her tongue. She blushed to the roots of her hair, but offered him a bite anyway.

"No thanks, I'm too full. You go ahead." he offered. Sakura smiled as she ate the last of the sweet.

"How did I get do damned lucky? She thought.

oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo

The second chapter will be up shortly. I'm typing it now. (How'd I get so damn lucky- grimace)

Kudos to Masashi Kishimoto for creating the Naruto series. Wish it had been me.


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks for your patience. It took me a little longer to type than I thought. I'd like to thank Earthbender068, Fairy of Anime, and LightsCameraAction1234 for their cheer leading skills. I appreciate your encouragement.

oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo

The next day was a busy one at the hospital. The wave of refugees had slacked off, but many of the rescue teams were returning and needed to check in. It was late in the day before the three Medics were able to take a break together. Sakura walked into the lunch room to find Ino and Hinata already there.

"So how was your date?" asked Ino. Sakura rolled her eyes. She should have known that would be the first thing Ino would ask.

"It was great." She hedged. Her feelings for Kiba were still somewhat new and she wasn't sure how much to tell her nosey blonde friend.

"I know they took Naruto with them." Hinata said smugly. Sakura looked at her in surprise.

"He called me this morning." the pale eyed girl clarified. "Naruto had fun, anyway."

"Where'd you eat, Ichiraku?" Ino teased.

Sakura sighed at their good natured teasing. Kiba had asked her out right in front of them. She should have expected it.

"So did he kiss you?" to Sakura's surprise it was Hinata that asked.

"Why" the pink haired girl asked defensively. She had been a little disappointed that he didn't but after the mental tirade about the hotel, she had told herself she'd deserved it.

"He didn't did he?" Hinata guessed. She had a wise look in her eyes. "He really likes you then." "Kiba loves to flirt and carry on" the Hyuga explained to the puzzled kunoichi. "But if a girl really catches his eye, then he's a perfect gentleman." "Must be his mom's influence coming through." she laughed.

"Really" mused Ino.

"I've known him since he was twelve." "I've seen it happen a time or two before." smiled his team mate. Sakura felt a slow smile blossom on her face.

Later that week, Kiba was deployed again. He found Sakura at the hospital between patients.

"Hey" he greeted her as she was leaving an examination room.

"Hey yourself." She smiled.

"I've been called out again." He told her with a wry grin on his face. "I guess that's what Akamaru and I get for being so good." Sakura looked at him with a worried look on her face.

"Can you tell me about it?"

"Not really" he said noncommittally.

"Ok" Sakura knew it must be a B rank or higher, but the expression on Kiba's face told her it was higher for sure.

"I should be gone a week, and definitely back in time for our trip." he assured her.

She looked at the man before her. He was strong and capable. She just had to trust him to do his duty then return to her. She gave him a hug before cupping his rough cheek in her hand. "You be careful." she urged him in the same tone she gave her team mates.

"I will" he promised, looking into green eyes that never failed to mesmerize him.

He returned her hug, giving her a quick peck on the cheek before heading out with the wicked smile and jaunty walk she'd come to equate with Kiba.

Sakura never knew seven days could drag on so slow. Naruto had been sent on a mission at the same time. She had a sneaking suspicion it was the same mission and that worried her more than anything. Naruto had become Anbu and that only meant trouble. Although Kiba wasn't Anbu, he was often called out with them for his specialized abilities in tracking and rescue. She wasn't supposed to know these things but her relationship to the Hokage and access to medical records told her all kinds of things she wasn't supposed to know.

She and Hinata had taken turns checking for the return of their team mates. It gave Sakura a measure of comfort to know that someone else was as worried about her boys as she was.

On the seventh day she was called to the emergency room where she was greeted with chaos. The team had returned. Naruto was his usual bloody mess. It took a while to figure out how much of the blood was his and how much was the enemy's. She left him to Shizune, and went to the next room. There she found Shikamaru lying on the examination table with one of the med nins bandaging his head as he mumbled about 'troublesome women. The Nara had a broken leg and a concussion. Ino was mending his leg, scolding him the whole time. Sakura could tell it was making his head ache even worse and had to chuckle at his pained expression.

Neji was a mess. He was suffering from eye strain and covered in cuts from poison darts. Tsunade was working on him personally.

"Sakura" she hollered in the voice she used when she wanted results. "Check the last team mate, then get back in here and give me a hand with these chakra passages."

"Hai, Shishou," Sakura quickly passed to the next room where she found Hinata with her hands full with Kiba. He had been struck with one of the poison darts. He was feverish, dehydrated, and obviously worried sick about Akamaru. No wonder, the dog's white coat was stained red in places and he wasn't moving.

"Hina" he moaned. "Please, help Akamaru."

"Kiba lay still." she pleaded. "I've sent for Hana." "It's going to be alright, I promise." The man fell back in pain.

Hinata had stopped the spread of the poison, so Sakura took a moment to examine Akamaru. The dog looked at her with pitiful eyes. No wonder his master was frantic. Sakura started going over each part of the dog being careful not to make anything worse. It soon became clear that not all the blood was Akamaru's and while he did need a doctor; it was chakra exhaustion more than anything that was wrong with the dog.

"Kiba" Sakura took his hand while she pushed his shaggy hair away from his face. "Akamaru will be fine. It seems to be mostly exhaustion. It's Ok"

"Hana" the man asked quietly?

"She's on her way" Hinata assured her friend.

"Thank you" he looked between the two women close to his heart and promptly passed out.

"Poor Kiba" Hinata crooned to him.

The two medic nin made short work of the poison in his system. Sakura left Hinata to deal with his chakra depletion before she went to assist with Neji. She passed Hana in the hall as the girl hurried toward her brother's room.

"How is he, Sakura?" she stopped the pink haired girl.

"He was poisoned. Hinata and I took care of it. He's chakra depleted but time should heal that."

The female Inuzuka nodded her head. "He must have had to use "Fang over Fang". That really takes it out of he and Aka." "Thanks Sakura". The girl only had time to nod before she heard her sensei calling for her.

It took a while for Sakura to piece together the whole story. What had started out as a team to track one possibly two missing nin had turned into a whole snake pit. The team was caught with the decision to either take out the nin themselves or wait for reinforcements and take the chance of them getting away. The men had been vicious enough that they dared not take the chance of losing them.

Naruto and Neji had held back the nin's followers while Shikamaru and Kiba had taken down the leader. He had been a particularly nasty viper, but like most snakes, once the head was gone the rest was easy to kill.

Kiba had carried his canine companion back the whole way, not trusting his health to the other team mates. Considering the size of the dog, who was bigger than Naruto that was quite a feat in its self.

Sakura and Hinata left the hospital that night extremely grateful for the safe return of the men in their lives. Sakura looked at the pale face of the girl at her side. She'd had three people in the emergency room and she definitely needed a lift for her spirits.

"You need chocolate." Sakura said in a decisive tone.

"What?" asked the pale girl faintly?

"After the day we've had we both need chocolate." She took her friend's arm and led her to a shop around the corner. "They have the best ice cream in Fire Country" she announced. Hinata gave a soft smile at that.

"I'm buying, and I'm prescribing at least two dips." "I'm a medic, you should listen to me."

"Yes doctor Sakura" Hinata giggled back

Once seated with their ice cream, Sakura asked her friend a serious question.

"Could you please explain the relationship of Kiba and Akamaru to me?" "Kakashi always had dogs but Kiba and Aka have a different kind of connection than they had."

Hinata smiled at the girl. "It took me a while to figure that out too."

"To Kiba and the rest of the Inuzuka clan, their dogs are more than animals. Akamaru is somewhere between Kiba's best friend, little brother, and child. Maybe it's because they actually become one in their jutsu, but Akamaru is part of Kiba. I know some people think of Kiba as a wild child, and sometimes he is, but he's had the full responsibility of his dog since Kiba was eight, He takes care of him better than some parents I know." she acknowledged ruefully.

"He also knows most of Kiba's thoughts. They've been best friends for twelve years now. There is probably not anything that they don't know about each other." The dark haired girl explained.

Sakura thought about that.

"It helps that Akamaru likes you." Hinata smiled.

"He likes me?" Sakura asked.

"He's the one who reminded Kiba to pick up the tickets on the way home from the last mission." said the girl with an impish smile.

"Thank you Akamaru" said the pinkette with a slow smile.

**In the city of Fukui,**

The couple left the restaurant and Sakura insisted they walk the two blocks to the Auditorium. She was so full she'd pop if she didn't get a little exercise. Her date looked at the strappy sandals she was wearing doubtfully. She grinned at the man.

"If Shishou can fight in sandals I think I can walk two blocks in these." She lifted a dainty foot teasingly.

"I'm glad I'm not a girl." replied the man absently, looking at his own sturdy black shoes.

"Me too." giggled Sakura. "That would make this a very odd date."

Her date just rolled his eyes in reply, pulling her hand through the crook of his arm. Sakura wasn't fooled. She saw the twinkle in his eyes.

The traffic became more congested the closer they got to the Auditorium. They saw carriages in every style being exited by elegantly clad men and women. Sakura watched with interest all the different types of people.

The women wore dresses and kimonos in every color from palest pink to deep dark maroon. The men wore suits or haori in dark colors. She smiled to herself at the reverse of nature where the women were the peacocks and the men were as plain as a peahen.

The couple strode to the entrance of the famous auditorium. It was built from classic Japanese architecture. The roof line included the classical raised pagoda edges. The floor and pillars were made of a dark colored marble and the molding around the graceful arches was gold leaf. In the center of the floor in the entry way was a mandala designed into the floor using various colors of marble and stone.

The attendant took their tickets and directed them to their box for the evening. Kiba watched his date as she took in all the sights with elated eyes. From their seat they could look over the crowd and orchestra easily. Music played softly as the crowd settled into their seats.

Sakura turned to her date.

"How were you able to get a box for this evening?"

"Hinata gave me a few pointers." He smiled a little sheepishly. "The Hyugas have a box and let me order the tickets under their name."

"Kiba thank you again for all this."

A rustle at the door to the box signaled the entrance of an older couple. The woman had a very pleasant smile on her face as she took her seat across from the young couple. The older man nodded agreeably.

The grandmotherly woman smiled at Sakura's obvious delight in all the sights before her.

"Have you been to the ballet before, my dear?" she asked the pink haired girl.

Sakura smiled back somewhat shyly. "No I've never been before."

Kiba had a hard time taking his eyes off his beautiful companion as she talked animatedly to the other occupants of the box. The older gentlemen leaned forward.

"We're very lucky to have two such lovely ladies to escort." He commented with a twinkle in his eye. "I don't mind the ballet myself" he continued "but the real satisfaction I get is seeing how much my wife enjoys coming." "We've come at least once every year for the last nineteen years. I wouldn't miss it for the world."

Seeing the enjoyment the two women were having chatting and watching the crowd, Kiba could well understand his reasoning.

"I wouldn't miss it either." replied the younger man.

The lights lowered and came back up signaling two minutes before the start of the performance. Sakura turned to her date and excitedly took his hand before settling into her seat. He took in her excited smile and sparkling eyes and thought to himself.

"How did I get so damned lucky?

**Earlier that day,**

The day of their trip finally arrived. Sakura had packed most of her things into a summoning scroll to avoid lugging them onto the bus. She carried her pack with toiletries and a few essentials.

Kiba arrived at her door shortly before eight am. He and Akamaru had been cleared to leave the hospital a few days before. Sakura eyed the man before her, the circles under his eyes were gone and the pasty tint to his skin had been replaced by his usual tan. Akamaru seemed to be himself again. He was yipping and jumping like a puppy in his eagerness to be off. Sakura was relieved to see both her escorts back in top shape.

"Hello Akamaru" she greeted the dog. She stooped to give the dog a good scratch between the ears. The dog whined and Kiba gave a laugh before turning slightly red.

"What did he say?" asked the kunoichi. Kiba gave a cough before saying,

"It roughly translates as an offer to be your boyfriend."

"Sorry Akamaru" said the girl before giving him a final pat. "I think I've already got one of those." She looked at the rescue nin with a question in her eyes. He smiled before taking her hand.

"Yes, I believe you do." he replied giving her a captivating smile. The girl felt her heart melt just a little at that smile. 'Damn that man was handsome' she sighed.

They walked to the bus stop and boarded their bus shortly after. The ride was long. They could have made better time as ninja, but the ride afforded them the time to talk that everyday life seemed to rob them of. Even though Sakura had spent time with Kiba every day at the hospital, they never seemed to run out of things to say.

Sakura was starting to enjoy herself. Between Kiba's lively banter and Akamaru's running commentary on everything around him, she was kept highly entertained. A commotion at the front of the bus drew their attention at the next stop. A much frazzled mother accompanied by five children boarded the bus. The children ranged in age from six to infant and seemed to be everywhere at once.

Sakura and Kiba went back to their conversation, which was a little hard considering the baby's continuous wails. The child resisted all the mother's efforts at comfort. The two older children soon lost interest in their youngest sibling's problems and began to explore every part of the bus. The two middle children, both girls, began to play on the seat across from their mother. The game seemed to include singing and clapping in an odd rhythm.

The two leaf nin did a good job of ignoring the family until Akamaru jumped straight in the air and stuck his head under their seat with a "Woof". The Nin looked down to see two very similar faces looking up at them from under the seat.

"Hey Mister, can we see your dog?" they exclaimed to Sakura's amusement. Akamaru gave some growls and whines which Kiba understood.

"Just tell them to be nice and no goosing my butt again." said the big white dog in a long suffering tone.

"Sure" said Kiba good naturedly. "But be gentle, he doesn't like it when you're rough." He continued in a serious tone. Sakura gave up her seat to the two boys.

"I'm going to see what I can do to help the baby." she told Kiba. "I don't know how long I can take that crying." she said with a wry look. She left her seat and made her way to the mother of the two boys.

"Hello" she greeted the frazzled mother. "Your little one seems to be having some trouble. I'm a medic. Would you like me to take a look at her?" The mother gave her a wan smile.

"Its colic, I'm sure of it." "You're welcome to look here over though." said the exhausted woman. "My poor baby just can't get comfortable with all the rocking of the bus." the mother crooned to the baby.

Sakura used chakra infused hands to feel the child's stomach. Sure enough the muscles were clinched in pain. She began to calm muscles and ease intestines in a way the mother found truly miraculous.

"You truly have a way with babies." sighed the mother in relief. As the baby quieted down the two older girls called for their mother's attention, excitedly pointing out the window at whatever caught their attention.

"I'll hold the baby for a while of you want." offered the girl.

Seeing the little bundle snuggled into the medics arms, the mother gave her a relieved smile and turned her attention to her other children.

"Girls" said the women in alarm. "Where did your brothers get too?"

"They are back with my friend." Sakura replied. She pointed to the back of the bus where Kiba and his canine buddy were doing tricks as the boys watched with wide eyes.

"I hope your friend doesn't mind." said the woman doubtfully.

"Don't worry" the medic replied watching Kiba laugh at something the boys said. "If he didn't want to, he wouldn't" she said as a matter of fact.

A half hour later the family exited the bus at their stop. The four older children patted Akamaru on the head while the mother gratefully cradled her sleeping baby. Sakura sat down beside Kiba.

"AH…peace and quiet." She sighed.

"I don't know about you two but I'm exhausted." said Akamaru with Kiba translating. The three settled into their seat. Kiba propped in the corner with Sakura leaning on his shoulder and Akamaru asleep on their feet. Sakura snuggled into the warm shoulder beside her and drifted off.

They were met at the station by the family Kiba had told her about. Kiba introduced them.

"Sakura, these are the Tanaka's, Mai and Kanji." "This is Sakura."

"Welcome to Fukui." greeted Tanaka san. Sakura replied to his greeting as she watched Tanaka Sama scratch Akamaru's ears. She had the signature red triangles on her face that told Sakura she must have been an Inuzuka before her marriage.

"We can take you to the hotel to check in, then how about lunch? We know a good place near the beach," Mai suggested. The couple agreed and climbed into their carriage behind the excited dog.

Sakura found that they were very pleasant company and quite fond of Kiba. They wanted to hear all about his time in River Country. Sakura let the conversation wash over her as she surveyed the sights of the town from the moving carriage. Shops and restaurants decorated with banners and brightly colored flowers drew her attention away from the people in the carriage.

**That night at the ballet,**

The stage lights came up and the orchestra began filling the room with light carefree music. The dancers skipped onto the stage bringing the story to life. Beauty's family came on to the forefront; her sisters, her father, their carefree life. The music became heavier as trouble after trouble was heaped onto the father's shoulders. The dancer's body language became more stooped and care worn with each event. The daughters bickered and fussed as each comfort was taken from them til even their house was gone. Through it all the dancer who was 'Beauty' remained light and graceful, full of life and energy.

Sakura admired the beautiful costumes and elegant motions. It the dancers bodies were trained to strike just the right pose to tell the story. The ballerinas seemed to hang in mid air as they stood on the very tips of their slippers. Graceful movement flowed into graceful movement, as water pouring from stone to stone.

The family was forced to leave their home in the city and move to a small place in a far away town. After many months of hardship the family received news of one of the father's ships coming into port. This would be the return of their fortunes, the daughters were just sure of it. The dancers flitted around the stage in excitement. Only the 'Beauty' dancer seemed reserved as each daughter asked for treasures from their 'father'. Their graceful arms portrayed dresses and jewels, But Beauty asked only for a single rose, her hands cupping in the semblance of a flower. The 'father' dancer kissed each daughter and rode his 'horse' away to regain his fortune.

At the port, the father found the ship's fortune had been seized. He had not been in time to stop the disbursal of the funds and was now to return to his children again empty handed. On the way home he became lost and ended up in an enchanted castle. The props were magnificent and the backdrops made Sakura think of an actual castle.

After an unusual night, the father left the castle the next morning to continue his journey. Seeing a boarder of beautiful roses, he cut one for his 'Beauty' the only child he was able to accommodate with a gift.

The Beast exploded on stage. Kiba came fully awake at the powerful figure. "Now this is more like it." he thought! As a trained athlete, he could appreciate the tremendous effort the dancers put into their performance. The 'Beast' character was well muscled and powerful in his movements. He made leaps and jumps that a true shin obi would be proud of. Kiba watched as the Beast demanded one of his daughters and then literally threw the 'father' dancer out of his castle. As promised the father returns with his daughter and 'Beauty' was welcomed to the castle where the Beast informed her that she is to be his guest forever.

The lights came up for intermission and Kiba blinked his eyes at the bright lights. They however weren't as bright as the smile on Sakura's face.

"This is so awesome!" she enthused. "Thank you, Kiba" she said once again.

"You're welcome" he replied in satisfaction. Sakura still couldn't believe how she'd gotten so lucky.

**Earlier that day,**

Sakura sat on the patio of the restaurant under the shade of a large tree. From here she could look out on the beach and see the wave's crash onto the shore. She was supremely content. Lunch had been delicious as promised by the Tanaka's. She'd had the best sushi she'd ever tasted. She was warmed by the sun, cooled by the breeze, and delighted by the view. She couldn't think of one thing to make the day any more perfect.

"Sakura" she felt a hand on her arm and looked up to see Kiba watching her. She gazed at the brown eyed man beside her. No the day couldn't be any more perfect.

"Are you blanking out on me?" he teased her.

"Just day dreaming." She smiled. "Isn't the beach beautiful?" she looked at him hesitantly. "I know we were going to the hot springs, but could we go to the beach instead?" At his surprised look she added "We can take Akamaru with us. I bet he'd really like the beach."

"We could play Frisbee." the dog cried joyously. Kiba shook his head at the two identical expressions of pleading on the faces before him.

"I don't care." He laughed. "I just want to get wet."

"Oh, we'll make sure you get wet won't we Akamaru." Both girl and dog laughed as Sakura pulled on Kiba's arm to get him out of his chair.

"The bath house is that way." Mai pointed as she and her husband chuckled at the antics of the younger couple before them. The two Nin stopped by the carriage to collect their bags before heading to the beach to change. Kiba changed into blue swim trunks with white paw prints on them. Naruto had dared him to buy them on their last vacation together. He and his dog headed outside to wait on their date.

"Would you look at that?" Akamaru would have whistled if he'd been able to.

Kiba turned to see Sakura walking toward him. She was wearing a cream colored bikini with light green trim and patterned with strawberries. She was utterly adorable. Kiba couldn't keep his eyes from traveling from the top of her pink curls to the flip flops on her small feet. Her skin was a light tan all over and his fingers itched to feel the smooth texture. She wore a cream colored cover-up that the wind was whipping off her shoulders. He smiled appreciatively. The girl might be petite, but she had a lush, curvy figure. Too bad a Jounin uniform wasn't designed to show that. On second thought, that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. She had enough admirers without anyone seeing her like this. He would enjoy having her all to himself. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders as a barrier to the teasing wind.

"Let's go, Akamaru." The dog raced down the beach.

Sakura leaned into the sturdy arm of her boyfriend. It made walking in the sand easier and provided a break from the wind. She hadn't fully appreciated how tan the man was. He was obviously used to being outdoors. His muscular legs rippled as he walked along the beach. His broad shoulders and strong arms helped her effortlessly across the sand.

They found a less crowded stretch of beach where the wind wasn't as strong. Akamaru raced back with his Frisbee. He sat it at the dog nin's feet ready to play.

"Come on Kiba, shake your tail. I'm waiting on you." barked the dog.

"You're not moving fast enough for Akamaru are you?" the girl asked. "Evan I can translate that" she teased him. Kiba picked up the toy and with a flick of his wrist sent it whizzing down the beach. The dog barked joyfully as he ran after it, catching the toy before it hit the sand.

Sakura found two chairs under an umbrella to hold her towel and wrap and headed toward the water. It was warn against her skin. She walked knee deep and let the waves massage her legs as the water moved back and forth from the shore. The bikini clad figure turned to watch the man and dog play on the beach. Akamaru clearly loved the exercise. She saw the tanned Nin grin at the dog's excitement.

Akamaru turned to see his female companion laughing at the pair on the sand. He galloped into the water after his precious person sending water in every direction.

"Noo…" the girl screamed as the water hit her followed by a large white dog. The dog gave excited yaps preceding a big wet tongue. Sakura eyed him from her new position in the water.

"You'll pay for that." She told the canine.

Kiba moved to sit at the edge of the surf and leaned back on his elbows as the water lapped at his body. He called encouragement first to Sakura then to Akamaru in their water battle. It didn't go unnoticed by the two either. If Kiba had not known better he would have sworn Sakura and his dog could communicate, because with a look at each other the two turned toward him. He knew trouble when it headed for him but was too slow to move out of the way. Suddenly he was glomped by a large wet dog and an equally wet kunoichi. He grabbed Sakura and held her to him burying his face in her hair to avoid a rough, pink canine tongue in the face. The girl was giggling to be let loose when the three were hit by an unusually large wave that picked them up and drug them across the sand.

"Oh Kiba let go." The pinkette squealed. He let her go in surprise. She saw his concerned face. "Sand in the bathing suit." She said turning a little red. The dog nin gave a bark of laughter as she headed to deeper water to wash the sand out of her pants.

Once again sand free, the girl headed for her beach chair. After fighting with Akamaru she was ready to laze in her chair and enjoy the view. Kiba soon joined her. "Did everything come out Ok?" he teased. She shook her head at his bad pun.

"Yea, everything came out Ok. I'm just in the mood to be lazy. Your white buddy there wore me out." Akamaru laid his head on her lap giving her a big doggy grin.

Kiba moved his chair so that it was against Sakura's. When he sat down his head was beside hers. The wind mingled her pink locks with his messy brown spikes. "Lazy sounds nice."

The canine soon lost interest and went to investigate the shore line. The two nin enjoyed the peace and quiet.

"What time do we have to leave?" Sakura asked languidly. "We want to be on time for the ballet."

"We've got at least another hour, I'd say." he replied.

"I'm so glad Hinata took you to the ballet so that you can take me now."

"Yea, Hinata was always talking Shino and me into doing stuff we'd never do otherwise." Kiba agreed.

"I'll have to thank her for that." Sakura giggled. The girl was quiet for a while and Kiba started to think she'd dozed off.

"At one time I thought you might end up with Hinata." She said shyly. "You seemed to have a crush on her."

The dog nin considered her words. He could hear the insecurity in her voice. "Yea, I did have a crush on her a long time ago, but she's become like a sister to me." he smiled. "It would never work between us anyway. She only has eyes for Naruto." the two smiled in agreement. "Besides she will never belong to just one person, she has her responsibilities to the clan. Naruto too will never belong exclusively to a single individual. His heart is too big and his ambition is too large. The Hokage belongs to everyone." "I don't know if Hinata can live with that?"he said pensively. He looked into her eyes and saw the unasked question there.

"I want someone of my own. We Inuzuka are a pack like our dogs, most of the time I like that. Since I was little I've always been part of a group. We think alike. We work together. We live together. I've never been lonely like some people are, but I long for one thing, one person to call mine. I want someone who belongs only to me. With my precious person I plan to be a little selfish." He took her hand and rubbed his thumb across her knuckles sending shivers all up her arm. She moved slightly closer to the large man beside her, resting her head against his.

She felt something resonate deep within her. This was the devotion she herself longed for, to belong to one person exclusively forever. She had the feeling that forever would not be too long to figure out the man beside her. She turned her head to find him looking at her, his face a breath away from hers. Her eyes dropped to his lips. Her breath caught at how close they were. If she leaned but an inch closer…

Kiba looked into green eyes that were impossibly large. If he leaned but an inch closer…

"Kiba" The dog nin found his lap full of a big white dog covered in sand. "Kiba, you've got to check this out." The dog was barking excitedly, never realizing what he'd interrupted. By the time the dog was calmed down the two nin were covered in sand and the mood was totally gone. Kiba gave his girlfriend a regretful look.

"It's time to go anyway." he said unhappily. The man took her hand to lead her back down the beach to the bath house

'Stupid dog' she thought.

**That night at the ballet,**

Fifteen minutes later the lights once again began to dim and Kiba felt his date take his hand as she whispered "The beast is still my favorite." Kiba chuckled in reply.

On stage 'Beauty' went from room to room marveling at the wonders of the enchanted castle. She and the Beast interacted over dinner and the man/beast asked the girl to marry him. Her expressive body displayed first outrage, then fear, and finally regret, as she turned him down. Over and over again the beast asked and again she said 'no'. Finally her loneliness and sorrow forced the beast to send her home for a short stay. She woke up at home with a mirror, a ring, and a deadline to return. The dancers portrayed the joy of Beauty's return to her family, the jealousy of her sisters at her garments and jewels, and the pleading of her father to stay. Each day 'Beauty' became more distraught at the absence from her beast.

Sakura felt Beauty's pain. That was just the way she felt while Kiba had been gone on his mission. She squeezed his hand, grateful once again that he was with her, healthy and whole. Like the Beauty on stage, Sakura had an epiphany. All this time she'd been looking for Prince Charming, he had been close at hand. No he hadn't looked like her preconceived notions. For too long her idea of a prince had included black hair, onyx eyes, and pale skin. 'What had that gotten her?' she asked herself, 'nothing but heartache.'

Yet here was a man who saw her for herself. He too longed for a precious person, someone that belonged only to him, forever. He was sweet and kind, patient and good natured. She was lost to the tale taking place on stage as scenes filled her mind; Kiba and Akamaru saving those in need, his good natured laugh with two little boys on the bus, their shared date with Naruto. Yet he could be fierce in his defense of what he held dear. She had seen his injuries after the fight with the missing nin and she knew of his fierceness in battle. Like Beauty she had everything she ever wanted right before her and almost missed it.

Sakura blinked as the lights came back up signaling the end of the ballet.

"Was it everything you thought it would be?" Kiba asked.

"It was very enlightening" was her cryptic remark.

Kiba couldn't help but wonder what had changed as the couple made their way to the entrance of the building. Sakura kept a tight hold on his hand and stayed very close to his side.

"I won't lose you." Kiba promised the girl clinging to his side. He thought that maybe she was nervous because of the crowd.

"No, I know you won't." she agreed. They hailed a carriage and rode back to the hotel. Sakura was unusually quiet on the ride back. Kiba began to wonder if he had done something wrong.

At their destination, he helped her down from the carriage. Instead of taking her to her room, he headed for a small garden and sitting area beside the hotel. He wasn't taking her inside until he knew what he'd done wrong.

"Sakura what happened? You're very quiet all of a sudden."

She looked into his serious face with its almond eyes. 'When had he become so dear to her?' she wondered and how would she explain it so he would understand?

"Isn't it odd how things change?" she asked him. "Just a month ago we were friends who hardly ever saw each other. This last month I've spent time with you and I've really enjoyed it. I just don't want it to end." She said with a sad smile. "I guess I feel a little like Cinderella after the ball. It's time to go back and I don't want to."

Kiba looked at the girl before him. He understood how she felt because he felt the same way.

"Things do change," he told her. "Last month there was this girl that I really wanted to impress. She's beautiful and talented and I thought I'd never stand a chance to get her to go out with me. But here we are a month later and I'm sitting with her under the stars." He saw Sakura's eyes widen.

"You've got the wrong fairy tale though. Cinderella might go back to her step mother, but the Beast keeps Beauty. He never lets her go." He drew his pink haired beauty into his arms.

"I have no intention of letting you go." he whispered, and Sakura felt his breath against her cheek. She didn't pull away and Kiba leaned closer still resting his lips on hers. One hand moved into her hair and the other tightened around her waist.

Sakura didn't realize she had moved til she found herself on Kiba's lap. His lips tasted hers as she raised her arms around his shoulders. He nibbled her lips and she let him in, pulling him tightly to her savoring the smell and the taste of this man

"Besides you told Akamaru I was your boyfriend." His breath fanned across her cheek as he whispered into her ear. Sakura looked into his rich dark eyes.

"I did, didn't I." said Sakura. 'No she'd never let him go.' She thought. She returned his kiss eagerly.

'How'd I get so damn lucky?' was the last coherent thought either of them had for quite some time.

oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo

I like that Kiba. I wish he had an older brother. Anyway… If you like the story, please leave a review. If your computer is messed up like mine was just leave a rating 1-5 (5 being the highest) that works too. I have a sequel partially written, however I'm taking a writing class this semester. Our assignment is to write 50,000 words in 30 days. Needless to say I'll be busy for a month. You can click on author alert if you want. Thanks Crystal


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